Valve operating mechanism



July 20, 1943.

E. J. FITZ VALVE OPERATING MECHANISM 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 17, 1942 July 20, 1943, 'E. J. m1 2,324,571

VALVE OPERATING ,MECHANIS Filed Feb. 17, 1942 s sums-sheet 2 July 20, 1943. m 7 2,324,571.

VALVE OPERATING MECHANISM Filed Feb. 17, 1942' 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 REPLENISHING TANK FILTER omen vALv: V J v J MWQD v I qgqa 49 4' 55 Patented July 20, 1943 1 UNITED STAT VALVE OPERATING MECHANISM Edward J. Fitz, Fair field, Conn; assignor to Jenkins Bros., New New Jersey York, N. 35., a corporation of Application February 17, 1942-, Serial No. 431,304 ,8 Claims, (01. 74-407) f-This "invention relates to devices for openin g and closing valves, and more particularly to valve operating mechanisms of the power actuated, automatically controlled 1 type wherein manually operable means are also provided for opening or closing thevalves in a emergency.

Although valve operators of the same general character as that of the present invention have beenknown to the art for some time, these prior devices have not proven entirely satisfactory from a practical stand-point because of various difficulties inherent in the particular mechanical arrangements proposed.

' It isthereforeone of the objects of the present invention to provide a valve operating mecha nism of new and improved construction which will ensure efficient and dependable'operation under all conditions and will .be free from thedefects of similar devices hithertoknown. I p I Another object ofthe invention is' topro'vide a valve operator of the type normally driven by electrical or hydraulic energy with novelmanually operable means for opening and closing the 'valve in an emergency.

' A further object is toprovide' manually operable means of novel construction for actuating a'motor driven valve which automatically disconnects the motor from the valve during the on line 33 in Fig. 1 showing theform of connection betweenthe motor actuated, main driv ing shaftand the valve gear; 7 Fig. 4 is a plan view of the sliding cam sleeve of the manually actuatable emergency operating means; i

"Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional View of .a ortion 'of the manually actuatable operating means of Fig. 1 showing the elements thereof in operative position; i

Fig. 6 is a view similar to lically actuatedvalveoperator embodying a modified form of manual operating means constructed inaccordance with the invention; and

Fig. 7 is a schematic diagram of a hydraulic valve operating circuit illustrating the advantage of theimproved manual operatingmeans ofthe present invention over the conventional form of such means whereinthe hydraulic motor isnot disconnected during manual actuation of the Valva i Referring first to Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the embodiment of "the invention illustratedthereincomcycle ofmanual operation and automatically reestablishes the motor drivin connectionwhen application of the manualoperatingforce ceases. Still another object of this invention is to provide an improved valve operating mechanism of the character described which is structurally simple, economical to manufacture, durable, and

dependable in operation. These and other objects will appear more fully upon consideration ofthe detailed description of the embodiments of theinvention which follows.

,Although only two specific forms of valve operator have been described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, it is to be expressly understood that these drawings are for purposes of illustration only and are not to be construed defining the limits of the invention, reference being had for the latter purpose to the appended claims. i i

In the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference characters indicatelikeparts throughout the several views:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation, with certain parts risesan electric driving motor and it associated power transmission and control mechanism for. normally operating a valvegear (the valveitself having been omitted from the drawings in the interest of simplicity), and manually actuatable means normally inoperative but operable in the event of an emergency for opening gear 13 and the shaft I0 may be of any desired character, and may embody a torque responsive mechanism of thetype disclosed in application Serial No. 201,594, filed April 12, 1938, of which this is a; continuation in part. For purposes of illustration, it may be assumed that the structure indicated in Figs. 1 and 2 is the same as that shownin the corresponding views of said earlier application, including both torque responsive and travel limit means which extend through the housing ll into a switch box I 4 andserve to automatically open the circuit of motor I! whenever the resistance to rotation of shaft l0 exceeds a predetermined value or the valve reaches a predetermined point in its movement in one direction or theother. l

Shaft 10 is reduced in diameter at l5, and secured thereto for rotation therewith as by key it is driving collar: 11 which, as shown'best in Fig. 3, is provided at one point on its periphery with an outwardly extending big or finger l8. Mounted for. rotation upon shaft I0 and recessed to receivedrlving collar I1 is valve drive gear- Fig. 1 of a. hydraul9 which has a hub extending outwardly along shaft l0. Slidably supported upon hub 20 is a sleeve 2|, the inner end of which has an outwardly turned flange notched at one point on its periphery to receive and lockingly engage with a pin 22 which is slidably mounted in gear l9. recessed portion of gear l9 sufiiciently to engage the finger |8 of driving collar I! in the manner indicated in Fig. 3. Y

The outer end of sleeve 2| is recessed as at 23 to receive a spring 24 the inner end of which normally urges the sleeve to the left as seen in Fig. 1 so as to bring the flanged end thereof into contact with drive gear I9, the outer end of spring 24 abutting against spring rest 25 mounted in a recessed portion 25 of hub 20 and held in position by cap 21 which is suitably secured to hub 20 of gear I9, as by a set screw 28. Mounted for rotation on sleeve 2| is a liner 29 upon which is mounted hub 30 of hand wheel 3|, said liner and hub being secured together by a locking pin 32. Oil or grease may be admitted to this assembly through any suitable lubricating fitting 33,

Hub 30 of hand wheel 3| is enlarged and recessed as indicated at 34 to provide a housing for the mechanism by .which the hand wheel may be coupled to the valve gear [9 for manual operation. As shown, there is mounted in recessed portion 34 a plunger 35 urged outwardly by spring 35. A glass cover 31 held beneath clips 38 (Fig. 2) normally retains plunger 35 in its inward position (Fig. 1) against the action of spring 33. Plunger 35 is circumferentially recessed at 39 to receive finger 40 of cam member 4| which is designed to rotate about pin 42 and to engage cam slot 43 of sleeve 2| when the manually actuatable means are in operative position (see Figs. 4 and 5).

The element 44 is a travel limit switch shaft which is rotatably carried within the longitudinal center bore 45 of shaft I0, is fixed at one end to the cap 2! by the pin 46 and extends all the way into the switch box I4 to actuate the travel limit switches.

During normal valve actuation, the shaft I0 is driven by the motor |2 through the worm gear l3 and associated torque responsive mechanism, rotation of the shaft l0 also rotating driving collar H, and, through the finger l8 and pin 22, valve gear l9. Rotation of valve gear l9 also acts through pin 22 to rotate sleeve 2| within the liner 29 and hub 30 of hand wheel 3|, these elements being disconnected due to the fact that the cam member 4| is in its normal disengaged position. The movement of valve gear I9 is also transmitted through hub 20 and set screw 28 to cap 21 which in turn rotates travel limit switch shaft 44 through pin 46. When the-valve reaches the desired limit of its movement, the circuit of the motor I2 is automatically opened by either the torque responsive or the travel limit switch mechanism in the manner disclosed in the aforesaid application. Serial No. 201,594.

If, for any reason, the electrical means provided to operate the device should fail, the manually actuatable means shown in Figs. 1-5 may be used. To place the hand wheel 3| in driving relation with valve gear l9, glass 31 is broken by any suitable means, as by a hammer 4'| clipped to the'hand wheel for this purpose, so as to permit the plunger 35 to. be forced tothe right in Fig. 1 by spring 35. This outward movement of the plunger 35. rotates cam member 4| Pin 22 normally extends inwardly into the in a counter-clockwise direction about pin 42 so as to urge the end of the cam into the slot 43 of sleeve 2|, as shown in Fig. 5. If slot 43 is not opposite cam 4| when the plunger 35 is released, hand wheel 3| may be rotated in either direction until the cam registers with and enters the slot. When the elements occupy the positions shown in Fig.5, the hand wheel 3| may be rotated in the proper direction to open or close the valve, as desired, the hand wheel driving the valve gear |9 through cam 4|, slot 43, sleeve 2| and pin 22. Due to the shape of cam slot 43 as shown in Fig, 4, initial rotation of hand wheel 3| and cam 4| in either direction after engagement of the cam and slot will cause the sleeve 2| to slide to the right in Fig. 1 against the action of spring 24; and to draw the pin 22outwardly to such an extent that, when gear I9 is rotated thereafter, thejpin will not engage the finger l8 of driving collar I1. 1

With this construction, the manually actuate ablemeans may be operated without driving back through'the transmission normally operated by the motor. At the same time, however, it will be noted that manual rotation of gear 9 also rotates shaft 44 as above described so that the limit switches are opened and closed appropriately and in such a manner that the switch mechanism will be in its correct position should the electrical actuating means thereafter be used to operate the valve.

When it is no longer necessary to use the manual operating means, plunger 35 may be pressed to the left in Fig. 1 against the action of spring 36-, thereby rotating cam 4| clockwise about pin 42 and disengaging it from slot 43, and a'suitable piece of glass placed under clips 38' (Fig. 2) to retain the plunger .in its inward position. Spring 24 then slides sleeve 2| to the left which in turn moves pin 22 into position for contact with the driving finger l8.

Referring now to Figs. 6 and 7, there is shown in 'the former an adaptation of the manual operatingmeans of the present invention to a valve operator'of the hydraulic type, the latter figure illustrating a known form of hydraulic circuit for remotely controlling such devicesand indicating one of the advantages of the present manual means in comparison with those heretofore in use. Aside from the fact that the hand wheel of the operator shown in Fig. 6 is permanently latched in operative connection with the valve drive gear, the modified structure is substantially the same as that of Figs. 1-5; in fact, many of the parts of the two devices may be so constructed as to be interchangeable.

Inthe embodiment illustrated, the main drive shaft I0 is permanently connected to and normally driven by a hydraulic motor 48 of any suitable construction which may be operated in either direction by oil or other fluid supplied thereto and delivered therefrom by a pair of conduits 49, only one of which is shown in Fig. 6. As is indicated in Fig. 7, the hydraulic motor is connected to the actuating fluid circuit by a three-way selector cook 50 so that the flow created by the pump 5| may either drive the motor in one direction or the other, or may by-pass the motor when the cock is in central or neutral position. With hydraulic valve operators-of known construction wherein it is impossible to operate the valve manually without simultaneously actuatingthe to avoid the possibility of a hydraulic lock which reetion of operation of the valve.

-As in the case of thedevice of Figs. l-5, shaft III has keyed thereto a driving collar I! provided with an outwardly extendinglug or finger t8 adaptedto engage the pin-22 which is slidably mounted in the valve driving gear l9, andto thereby rotate the .latterwhen the shaft 10 .is driven bythe motor 48. Valve gear l9 is permanently meshed with a driven gear 52- which is keyed to a hollow shaft 53 having an operative connection with the spindle 54 of the valve to be. operated (indicated at 55 in Fig. 7 The valve drive gear I9 is also provided with a hub 29 ex tending outwardly along and surroundingshaft ID, on which hub is slidably supported a sleeve 2|, having 'at its inner end an outwardly turned flange notched at one point on its periphery to receive. and lockingly engage with the pin 22.

The outer end of sleeve 2| is recessed at 23 to receive a sprin 24 which normally urges the sleeve to the right as viewed in Fig, 6 so as to bring the pin 22 into position to engage the finger IS, the outerend of spring Mabutting against aspring rest 25 whichsurrounds the outer end .of hub 20 and is held inplace by a cap 56" suitably secured to the outer reduced endQ EI of shaft l0. f

.Mounted on the outer end of the 'sleeve' 2|, and capable of rotation relatively thereto, is a liner. 29 which in turn supports the hub 58 of hand wheel 59, the hub, 58 being fixed to the liner 29 by a l'ocking pin 32. Instead of normally being free to spin relatively to the sleeve 2| and hub 20, as in the embodiment of Figs. 1-5, the handwheel of Fight is adapted for permanent operative connection. withthe sleeve 2|. Ac-

.cordingly, in lieu of the plunger operated cam ary rangement illustrated. in Figs. 1-5; the'hubj of hand wheel59 is simply provided with an enlarged portion 60 in which is formed a radially extendin opening 6i housing a "cam finger 62, the inner u a a f efi'zitn stoma occu'i should the a cock was a a pasta opposite to that corresponding to the desired diend'of the latter extendinginto the cam slot- 143 The mode of operation of the device shown in 6 is the same as that previously described in connection with theembodiment of Figs. 1-5, ex-

cept for the factthat the permanent projection of cam finger 52 into cam slot 43 renders the device ready for manual operation at all times without the necessityfor first latching the hand wheel to the sleeve.

When the manual operating means of the present, invention is thus applied to ahydraulically actuated valve operator, there is no movement of v the rotor of the hydr'aulic notor when the valve is manually opened or closed. This being so, "it is unnecessary to turn the selector cock to neutral position before manually operating the valve as -mustbedone with the conventional type of operator inorder to avoid a hydraulic lock at the" re- "motecontrol station in the event that the cock should inadvertently be turned-to a position opfeature of the invention is diagrammatically indicated in Fig. 7 wherein the -valveoperator at theright-hand side of the diagram embodies posite to thatcorresponding to the direction in :which the valve is beingmoved manually. This manual actuating means of the automaticmotor In the latter fluid through the motor when the valve is man.- ually actuated, whereas the device of the present invention enables operation by hand independently of the hydraulic motor and without causing any circulation of fluid. i

There is thus provided by the present invention a valve opening and closing device of improved construction wherein are embodied novel means for manually actuating a valve operator of the normally electrically or hydraulically driven type which are so constructed as to be operabl independently of the elements constituting the nor- .mal drive betweenthe motor and valvegear and whichautomatically disconnect the motor from the, valve gear during manual actuation of. the valve While only two specific forms ofthe invention have been described and illustrated in the. accompanying drawings, it will be obvious that. the invention is not limited to the exact structures shown but is capable of a variety of me.- chanical embodiments. Various changes, which will now suggest themselves to those skilled in the art,,may be made in the form, details of construction and arrangement of the parts without departin from the spirit of the invention. Ref.-

erence is therefore to be had tothe appended claims for a definition of thelimits of the inven- What is claimed is:

1. In a device of the character described, the combination of a drive shaft, a driving gear rotatablymounted on said shaft, means for estab: lishing a driving connection between said shaft andsaid gear, manually actuatable means for rotating said gear including ,a hand wheel, a

member rotatable with, but movable axially relatively to, said gear, means for drivingly connecting said hand wheel and member so constructed and arranged as to permit alimited rotational movement of said hand wheel relatively to said member and to simultaneouslyproduce an axial movement of the latter relatively to said gear, and meansactu'ated' by the axialmovement of said member for disestablishingthe driving con nection between said shaft and'said gear.

2. In avalve operator of. the class described, the combination of a drive shaft, valve fdrive means rotatably mountedon said drive shaft, means for establishing a positive drive from said drive shaft to said valve drive means, manually actuatable means foroperating said valve drive meansincluding a hand wheel, a rnember rotatable with but movable axially relatively to, said valve drive means, means for drivingly connecting said hand wheel and member including a cam groove and follower. arrangement such that said hand wheel maybe. rotated relatively to said .me'xn'ber through a limiteddistance to produce an axial movement of the latter with respect to said valvedrive means, and means actuated by the axial movement of said member for rendering ineffective the drive-establishing means between said. drive shaft andvalve drive means. 3. In a valve operator of the class described, the combinationof a drive shaft, valve drive means rotatab ly mounted "onsaid drive shaft,

means for establishing apositive drive from said ;drive shaft to said valve drive means including a.pin. carried by said valve drive means andtnormally engaged by a membenrotatable with said drive shaft, a hand wheel, and means for operatively connecting'said hand wheel with said valve drive means including an axially movable element having a cam groove formed therein, a cam follower member carried by said hand wheel groove and follower member being so constructed and arranged that manual rotation of said hand wheel first produces a limited axial, non-rotational movement of said element and thereafter rotation of said element with said hand heel, and means for transmitting the axial movement of said element to said pin to move the latter'out of engagement with said member rotatable with the drive shaft, whereby the valve drive means :may'be rotated bysaid-hand wheelwithout rtation of said drive shaft.

4. In a valve operator of the class described, the combination of a drive shaft, a valve drive gear having a hub rotatably mounted onsaid drive shaft, means for establishing a positive.

drive from said drive shaft to said gear including a drivingmember fixed to said shaft and a driven pin mounted in said gear for rotation therewith but capable of axial movement relatively thereto, said pin normally extending into the path of rotation of said driving member so as to be engaged and driven thereby, a hand wheel, and means for operatively connecting said hand wheel with said gear for manual actuation thereof including a sleeve member mounted on said gear hub for rotation therewith but capable of axial movement relatively thereto, a cam groove formed in said sleeve member, a cam follower member carried by said. hand wheel for engage- 'ment with'said cam groove, said cam groove and member carried by said hand wheel and normally retained out'of engagement with said c'am groove, means for engaging said camfollower member with said cam grooveysaid cam groove and follower member being so constructed and arranged that rotation of said hand wheel after engagement of said follower member with said groove rotation of said sleeve member with said hand wheel, and means for transmitting the axial movement of said sleeve member to said pin to move the latter out of the path of rotation of said driving member,whereby the valve drive gear may be rotated by said hand wheel without means-for establishing a positive drive from'said 1 drive shaft to said gear, manually actuatable means for rotating said gear including a hand wheel normally disconnected from said gear, a member rotatable with but movable axially relatively to said gear, means for drivingly connecting said hand wheel and member including a cam groove and follower arrangement such that said hand wheel may be rotated relatively to said member through a limited distance to produce an axial movement of the latter with respect to said gear, and means actuated by the axial movement of said member for rendering ineffective the drive establishing means between said drive shaft and said gear.

first producesa limited axial, non-rotational "movement of said element and -'thereafter-rotatidn of said element with said hand wheel,'-and me'ans for transmitting the axial movement of said'element to said pin to move the latter'out of engagement with said member rotatable with the drive shaft; whereby the valve drive gear maybe r0"- tated by said hand wheel without rotation of said drive shaft.

' 7. In a valve operator of the class described, the combination of a drive shaft, a" valve drive gear having a hub rotatably mounted *on said drive shaft, means for establishing a positive drive from said drive shaft to said gear including" a driving member fixed to said shaft and a'driven pin mounted in said gear for rotation therewith but capable of axial movement relativethereto, said pin normally extending into the path of rotation of said driving member so as to be engaged and driven thereby, a hand wheel normallydis connected from said gear, means for operatively connecting said hand wheel with said gear for manual actuation thereof including a sleeve member mounted on said gear hub for rotation therewith but capable of axial movement relatively thereto, a cam groove formed in said sleeve mem'- ber, a cam follower member'carried by said'hand wheel normally retained out of engagement with said cam groove but movable into engagement with the latter when manual operation of the valve is desired, said cam groove and follower member being so constructed and arranged that rotation of said handwheel after engagementof 7 said follower member with said cam groove first produces a limited axial, non-rotational movement of said sleeve member and thereafter rotation of said sleeve member with said. hand wheel,

. and means for transmitting the axial movement of said sleeve memberto said pin to move the latter out of the path of rotation of said driving member,.whereby the valve drive gear maybe rotated by saidfhand wheel without rotation of said drive shaft.

8. In a valve operator of the class described, the

. shaft and said gear, manually actuatable means forrotating said gear including a hand wheel,

6. In a valve operator of the class described,

:operatively connecting said hand wheel with said gear including an axially movable element having a cam groove formed therein, a cam follower means-for operatively connecting said hand wheel with said gear including an axially movable-element having a cam groove formed therein, a cam follower member carried by said hand wheel and normally. in engagement with said cam groove, said cam groove and'follower member being, "so constructed and arranged that manual rotation of said hand wheel first produces a limited axial, non-rotational movement of said element and thereafter rotation of said element with said hand wheel, and means actuatedzby the axial movement of said element for disestablishing the-driving connection between said shaft andisaid gear.

EDvvaRn J. 

